Adaptive Control Lever Layout for Compact High-Force Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Off-highway and commercial vehicles' compact driving cabins pose a challenge for adaptive operating modules, requiring space-efficient designs that can generate high forces for effective feedback, especially in armrest-mounted controls where traditional joystick systems are too bulky.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive operating module with a swiveled control lever and active reset modules arranged below the swivel axis, connected via translation, allowing for compact vertical design and scalable torque generation, incorporating both active and passive reset modules for variable force feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If traditional joystick systems are used in compact armrest-mounted controls, then high forces can be generated for effective feedback, but the device becomes too bulky for space-efficient designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the active reset modules from a horizontal arrangement (traditional joystick) to a vertical arrangement below the swivel axis. This dimensional change allows the force-generating components to be stacked vertically rather than spread horizontally, significantly reducing the device's footprint while maintaining torque generation capability. The translation mechanism converts the vertical force application into rotational torque on the control lever.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the active reset modules above or beside the swivel axis as in traditional designs, the patent inverts the arrangement by positioning them below the swivel axis. This inverted configuration, combined with the translation mechanism, allows the modules to generate torque through vertical force application rather than horizontal pushing, achieving compactness without sacrificing force output.
2Volume of moving object
If active reset modules are arranged below the swivel axis with direct translation connection, then device volume is reduced, but the complexity of force transmission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a translation mechanism as an intermediary component between the active reset modules and the control lever. This translation element converts the vertical linear force from the reset modules into rotational torque applied to the control lever around the swivel axis. While this adds a component, it simplifies the overall force transmission path compared to alternative mechanisms and enables the compact vertical arrangement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple active reset modules are used per swivel axis for variable force feedback, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the force feedback function into multiple independent active reset modules arranged vertically below the swivel axis. Each module can be independently controlled to provide different torque contributions, allowing variable force feedback characteristics. This segmentation enables adaptability while keeping each individual module relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple active reset modules into a single vertical assembly below the swivel axis. By merging these modules into one integrated structure rather than distributing them separately, the design achieves space efficiency while maintaining the combined force output of multiple modules, thus improving adaptability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Adaptive control module (1) comprising a control lever (3) pivotably mounted about at least one pivot axis (2) and at least one first active actuating force module (4) per pivot axis (2), which generates a torque acting on the control lever (3) against which a user must deflect the control lever (3) from a rest position, wherein the at least one first active actuating force module (4) is arranged below the at least one pivot axis (2) and is directly and effectively connected to the control lever (3) by means of a transmission (5), characterized in that it has at least two first active reset modules (4), wherein these in particular have a conical area (6) and are arranged at a 90° angle to each other.